[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2014\/07\/31\/product-information-the-seven-deadly-sins\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2014\/07\/31\/product-information-the-seven-deadly-sins\/","headline":"Product information: The seven deadly sins","name":"Product information: The seven deadly sins","description":"When it comes to managing product information from various data silos and legacy systems, there are seven deadly sins to consider. ","datePublished":"2014-07-31","dateModified":"2024-04-12","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/contributor\/stefan-schmidt\/#Person","name":"Stefan Schmidt","url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/contributor\/stefan-schmidt\/","identifier":83,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/c3a44c000d60b555c542f4e18fc69312b266eeb98585b2f4aaa9bb16d3af0714?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/c3a44c000d60b555c542f4e18fc69312b266eeb98585b2f4aaa9bb16d3af0714?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"The Future of Commerce","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/logo-foc-schema-app-1.png","url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/logo-foc-schema-app-1.png","width":172,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/consumer-trends-Q1-2024_FTR.jpeg","url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/consumer-trends-Q1-2024_FTR.jpeg","height":375,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2014\/07\/31\/product-information-the-seven-deadly-sins\/","about":[{"@type":"Thing","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/marketing\/content-marketing\/","name":"Content Marketing","sameAs":["https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Content_marketing","http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q558685"]},{"@type":"Thing","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/sales\/crm\/","name":"CRM","sameAs":["https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Customer_relationship_management","http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q485643"]},{"@type":"Thing","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/marketing\/customer-engagement-marketing\/","name":"Customer Engagement","sameAs":["https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Customer_engagement","http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q5196451"]},{"@type":"Thing","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/marketing\/","name":"Marketing","sameAs":["https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Marketing","http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q39809"]},{"@type":"Thing","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/marketing\/marketing-general\/","name":"Marketing","sameAs":["https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Marketing","http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q39809"]}],"wordCount":396,"keywords":["Content Marketing","Customer Engagement","PIM | Product Information Management","Product Marketing"],"articleBody":"In its recent Wave report, global analyst firm Forrester looked at the problem of managing product information from various data silos and legacy systems:Retailers are prioritizing the enhancement of online product content above other merchandising initiatives including personalization, product recommendations, and A\/B testing. Why? Detailed product content is a differentiator when it comes to customer experience. \u00a0(Forrester Research, Inc., The Forrester Wave\u2122: Product Information Management (PIM), Q2 2014)So what should organizations be wary of when managing product data and content, intended for publication across multiple channels?The seven deadly sins in Product Information Management:Failing to excel with Excel. Manual processes and improvised solutions \u2013 such as storing various bits of data in lots of Excel spreadsheets \u2013 can be asking for trouble when it comes to accuracy and consistency, thanks to a lack of version control and document visibility.\u00a0Weak links in the channel chain. There\u2019s little point in investing in e-commerce or social commerce initiatives if product information is flimsy or inaccurate on those channels. Having one weak link in the omni-channel chain can result in lost opportunities.Ignoring the online\/ offline interplay. PIM isn\u2019t just about having the right information in different places. It\u2019s also about creating a holistic experience \u2013 so shoppers can see what\u2019s available in store when they\u2019re online, access online information when they\u2019re in the store, and so on.\u00a0Being slow off the mark. When bringing a new product to market, time is of the essence. Slow product information and publishing processes can seriously hinder the commercial outcomes of a product launch.Content neglect. Content is there to help sell your product \u2013 it\u2019s not just about data. Organizations should consider how rich content, such as video demos or user testimonials, can help convert to purchase.Resistance to change. Larger organizations in particular will face challenges in maintaining consistency across established and disparate business units \u2013 but their need to manage product content properly is the greatest. Failing to adapt can set them back.\u00a0Getting lost in translation. Complex, global organizations need to offer product content that is 100% relevant for each different market, recognizing regional languages, cultures and attributes. One size does not fit all.  Every digital moment matters.Are you making the most of them?1,000 business leaders dish on how to stand out from the crowd with a great CX. Get the details\u00a0HERE.\u00a0"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2014","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2014\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"07","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2014\/\/07\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"31","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2014\/\/07\/\/31\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Product information: The seven deadly sins","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2014\/07\/31\/product-information-the-seven-deadly-sins\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]